Police investigate attempted robbery; suspect still critical after self-inflicted gunshot wound
JACKSON, Tenn. — Police continue to investigate a Thursday night attempted robbery of an Exxon as the suspect remains hospitalized in critical condition as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The investigation is ongoing to determine any connection between this incident and the Wednesday armed robbery of the same Exxon store, located at 2652 North Highland Avenue, according to a release from the Jackson Police Department.
Around 6:40 p.m., a Jackson police officer saw a person wearing a mask and dark clothing near the Exxon. Police say it appeared the suspect was about to commit a robbery.
The officer tried to make contact with the suspect who turned and ran before getting into a vehicle and driving away, according to the release.
The officer pursued the suspect and with the assistance of a helicopter determined he had entered a home in the 100 block of Woodgrove Drive in north Jackson.
When police entered the home in pursuit, the suspect reportedly fired multiple gunshots at the officers.
Negotiators and the SWAT team were called and investigators obtained a search warrant for the home.
After attempts to negotiate were unsuccessful, that SWAT Team searched the home and found the suspect with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the release.
Neighbors in the area said they were evacuated for their safety, something they had never had to do before.
“I was home in bed, and the police came and knocked on the door and was asking us questions and telling us about a store being robbed and they came back about 10-15 minutes later and asked us to evacuate,” next door neighbor Carolyn Martin said. “I was just nervous, because when they first knocked on the door I didn’t know what was going on and then to see al the blue lights and have all the helicopters and all that I didn’t know what was going on I was kinda scared.”
Janet Jackson lives on the other side of the 137 Woodgrove home, and she said police were searching in the woods behind her home.
“We saw police cars in front of our house stopped and they appeared to be looking for somebody, and then we saw policeman with dogs going toward the back of our house and going towards the woods. A policeman came to our door and asked us if we heard the shots and we said no we didn’t and he told us that he was gonna ask us to evacuate the house and there were shots fired,” she said.
An ambulance was on standby at the scene and transported the suspect to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.
The suspected has not been identified, and police have not released the suspect’s connection to the Woodgrove Drive address.
